Today was the craziest day yet!!!!! We were discharged from the hospital this morning into the care of all the people at the Ronald McDonald House. This morning before we went to the hospital, Samantha, my Mom and I went and dropped off the car at a detail shop. We really needed to get the car really clean and free of any mold that may have been floating around in there. Once we dropped the car off, it was straight to the hospital to take the first load of stuff out of the room. We filled my Moms Rav4, and took it straight to the Ronald McDonald house, then it was straight back to the hospital, to pick up the rest of the stuff and of course the most important Brenn, and Christine.

Brenn was initially really excited about getting out of the hospital, but her fear of the unknown reared it's ugly head, and along with her reaction to her medication, she really lost control, and cried in her hospital room for about 20 minutes, while we tried to put some slippers on her feet. Once we finally succeeded in getting the slippers on, she cried all the way down the hall past the nursing station, into the elevator, and out into the lobby. People were staring! She settled down in time to get into Grandmas car, and she was quite quiet for the ride to Ronald McDonald House. We all feel for her, but it is tough to take when we are all stressed out as well. She has been so brave, but every change will send her over the edge, because since we have been down here, most changes have been quite difficult, or even painful. She has been more brave than I can imagine, and we are really proud of her.

Once we got into the Ronald McDonald house, it was time for lunch. Brenn has really been craving Mr. Noodle for the last few days. With her medicine that she takes, the kids really crave salty things. They say that most kids really like hot dogs (which for the most part, Brenn really dislikes.) She tried a hot dog today, and ate half of it, which for Brenn is quite amazing. After lunch, it was time to wash both car seats, and organize all of the things that came back from the hospital. At the Ronald McDonald house there is precious little room. We organized for a couple hours, then Christine went shopping, and to pick up all of Brenns prescription, I had a pretty bad nose bleed, that required another 45 minutes to clean up afterwards (things have to be cleaned really really really well around here,) then my Mom and I were off to pick up our nicely cleaned car.

Through all of the activity, Brenn did quite well. She was able to play with Samantha for a while, she ate a few times, and rested watching TV. I was impressed with how much energy she had today. I am sure she will sleep well tonight, and be a bit tired tomorrow. She just got her chemotherapy yesterday, so she will be knocked back down again over the next couple days. It seems like such a crewel treatment. Just as she is starting to resemble her old self again, we give her some really strong medicine in order to make her messed up again. This disease is quite difficult to understand. On her good days she is almost like she was 6 or 7 months ago, when there was nothing wrong, but she does have her really bad days just to remind you that she is a very sick little girl. We have just started, and I can see that this will be a really hard road with many highs, and hopefully not so many lows. Brenn is such a special little girl! She has so much support, it seems incredible that in her short little life, she has managed to touch so many people. She has always been such a blessing.

I would really like to take a second to really thank my Mom. She has been watching Samantha for us while Brenn was in the hospital, doing all the laundry, doing most of the running around for us, and just being there to help in any way that she could. Without her being here through this, I am not really sure what we would have done. Things would have had to be a lot different. She is now taking a break, she went out to her brothers house for a little R&R. Hopefully she will be back up to full steam in no time. Taking care of Samantha for 10 days or so is quite a challange. That kid is spirited to say the least. Thanks Mom!

Scott